Seam for sewed articles.



J. G. LEWIS. SRAM FOR SBWED ARTICLES. APPLICATION FILED AUG. ze, 1912.

Patented 11131.30, 1915.

[lA/1512s ses:

JOHN G. LEWIS, OF ST. LOUIS,` MISSOURI.

SEAM FOR SEWED ARTICLES.

Maassen.l

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 30, 1915.

Application filed August 26, 1912. Serial No. 717,094.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, JOHN G. LEWIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Scams for Sewed Articles, of which the following is a specification. v

My invention relates to seams for sewed articles and more particularly to blind` stitch felling seams'adapted to be made by machine for securing the edge of a superimposed body of material to an underlying base layer without the display of any part of the sewing thread upon'the lower or fair side of the base layer.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide such a seam wherein the superimposed body of fabric is sewed through-andthrough on a line near to and parallel with its edge, with said through-and-through stitches occurring at short intervals, and with the edge thus stitched securedlto the base layer at relatively widely-spaced intervals by .stitch portions entering and emerging from the upper side of said. base layer, all by the arrangement of a single sewing seam of which the only thread displayed in the completed article may be a Y thread lying along .the top of the superimposed fabric, all of the balance of the thread or threads being concealed within the goods or under the edge of the superimposed layer.

One especially advantageous embodiment of my invention lies in securing, in the manner described, the folded edge of a hem, facing,'or lining, to a base layer of material, in which construction the relatively fine through-and-through stitching inthe folded edge of the superimposed layer renders said folded edge thin, sharp and'iieat, while the engagement of the 'seamthrea-d in the base layeronly at relatively long intervals effectively anchors the -superimposed bodv to the base layer but prevents the drawing ofthe base layer in such fashion ythat a line of depression may appear on the fair side of the goods. In such embodiment my invention may be applied to the blind stitching of the -upturned bottom of trousers, coat bottoms, coat facings and many other divisions of garment working.

In the drawings in which I have illustrated my invention in exaggerated forms Figure 1 is a perspective view with parts broken away showing a chain stitch seam vembodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof with parts broken away; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a lock stitch construction; Fig. 4 is a plan view thereof with parts broken away.

In the drawing, 10 indicates the base layer of material, generally textile, such for instance as a fabric of which outer garments are made, and 11 indicates in general a body of super-posed material which may be relatively thin, as a lining material, or which may, as shown be a hem, or a facing, or the like of the same material asfthe base layer. The superimposed body 11 is shown as having a folded edge l2 so that the edge portion of the superimposed body is constituted of two plies. The superimposed body l1 has its double portion, close to the folded edge, stitched through-and-through to present a firm, neatly-folded, finely-stitched, sharp edge, and at the same time it is united at intervals to the base layer, all by al single row of stitches. These stitches, all of which penetrate through-and-through the superimposed layer (consisting of one or more plies of material) occur at short intervals, commensurate with an ordinary feed length of a sewing machine, and, with respect to the superimposed layer effectively hem the folded edge thereof, in order that the edge' thereof may be firm, sharp, and not liable to raveling. At intervals, preferably regular intervals for regular spacing thereof, certain of the stitches which penetrate the body are made also to pass into and out of the upper surface of the base layer, thereby eectively securing the superimposed body tothe base layer but only at relatively widely-spaced intervals, which may, if desired, be materially greater than any ordinary stitch length of the sewing machine. These stitches in each exemplifica'tion shown are formed by ya lseries of keyed penetrant loops with each stitch pass- -ing through-and-through the superimposed superimposed body and each having its running loop-end extending as at 16 beneath thel edge of the superimposed body lengthwise thereof for enchanment with the next :niceeeding loop, thereby to key with ea'ch other the successive penetrant loops. While all of the embedded loops 15 penetrate through-andthrough the superimposed thereof under the edge of the superimposed body. In the construction shown in Fig. 1 the needle thread on every fourth stitch enters and emerges from the base layer atpoints 18 and 19 respectively, so that, as indicated in that portion most remote from the observer the visual effect of the completed seam is to' present only a single line of running loop-connecting'thread upon the superimposed body parallel With and close to the edge thereof all of the remaining portions of thread*namely the doubled embedded portion of each stitch and the lower running connections between the stitches-- being concealed Within the fabric or under the folded edge of the superimposed body.

In the construction shown in Figs. 3 and -l the same effect is shown to be attained by the use of a lock stitch of which 20 indicates the needle thread and 21 a bobbin thread, the penetrant loops of the needle thread being keyed by the usual locking engagement with the bobbin thread, generally so that portions of both threads from the doubled penetrant body 15 of the stitch, the running stitch-connections .of single thread 20 appearing on the surface of the superimposed body, and the lower running connections between the successive stitch-bodies lying between the base fabric and the superimposed fabric. These two forms' of stitches, namely chain stitchand lock stitch, lare shown merely for indication of the fact that the embodiment of my invention is not essentially dependent upon a particular concatenation of the thread, but resides in the relationship of the Ifabric and keyed penetrant loops, irrespective of whether the loops be keyed by enchainment or by second thread engagement.

The direction of loop penetration is at an angle to the edge of the superimposed body (the angle preferably being 'less than 90 degrees and that shown being approximately 45 degrees) and also that it be at an oblique angle to the horizontal plane of the base fabric so that the line of each penetrant stitch body recedes from the edge from bottom to top and also has an inclination lengthwise lof the edge.` It-Will be 0bserved that the inclination of the stitches back from the edge,-that is,-the inclination thereof With respect to the planel of the combination of a base goods,tends Vto cause tension applied to the seam formi-ng thread to draw the uppermost ply of the folded body in the direction of the folded edge' thereby givingv to the edge such a tendency to roll forward as will most effectively' aid in concealing the recurrent stitches which penetrate the base layer. It -will also be seen that the inclination or obliquity of penetration of the stitches along the edge will locate the stitching closer to the edge of the superimposed body than would be the case if the same vlength o f penetration were used but the loops Werev arranged at right anglesV to the edge line. will be noted that While the superimposed body is sewed through-and-through close to its edge so that on the exposed surface thereof avery fine stitch .is presented, and, that While the superimposed body consists of a plurality of plies the fine through-andthrough stitching gives material advantage in obvious Ways, the effective anchorage of the superposed body to the base layer occurs only at relatively long intervals, and at such comparatively Widely spaced points that there is little tendency on the part of the base layer to show a line of depression or drawing to mar the appearance on the fair side ofthe goods.

Having described my invention .what I claim is: 1. In a hem or seam for seWed articles, the combination of a base layer of fabric, a superimposed body thereon, and a single se- Further, and importantly, itv

ries of stitches each comprising a keyed penetrant loop, all of said stitches penetrat- -ing through-and-through the super-imposed body, regularly recurrent ones of said stitches less than the Whole number thereof passing at an angle 4to the general line of the seam, into and out of the upper surface of the base layer, and the intervening ones of said stitches being free from the base layer, all of said stitches having-their upper running connections exposed on the superimpose body, and their lower running. conretions concealed beneath the superimposed 2. In a hem or seam for sewed articles, the layer of fabric, a

superimposed body of fabric-having a folded edge, and a series of stitches having their embedded portions lying in. planes at an angle to the edge, each stitch penetrating through-and-throug l the folded body near its' edge, and a number of stitches less than the entire number thereof passing into and out of the upper side of the base layer, and

the intervemn ones of said stitches being free from the Aase layer.

3. In a hem or seam for sewed articles, the combination of a base layer of fabric, a superimposed body of fabric havin a folded edge, and a series of stitches having their embedded portions in planes at an angle to the edge, each stitch penetrating throughand-through the folded body near its edge, regularly spaced ones of said stitches penetrating into and out of the upper side of the base layer beneath the folded edge, and the intervening ones of said stitches being free from the base layer, the upper running connections of the stitches being exposed upon the superimposed -body parallel With the edge and the lower running connections lying under the edge.

4. In a hem or seam for sewed articles, a base layer of fabric, a superimposed body of fabric having a folded edge, and a single series of stitches each having its embedded portion penetrating in planes at an angle to the edge through both layers of the superimposed material, regularly recurrent ones of said stitches penetrating also the base layer entering and emerging from the same face thereof under the folded edge, and the remaining stitches being local to the superimposed material, the needle thread lying exposed in a line parallel with the edge on the upper surface of the superimposed layer and the lower running connections of the stitches being overlain by the superimposed material.

5. In a hem or seam for sewed articles, a base layer of fabric, a superimposed fabric body having a folded edge, and a single row of stitches tightly hemming said folded body close to its edge with short intervals between stitches, and felling said edge to the base layer at longer intervals leaving the base layer puckerless and giving relatively loose adaptive connection between the fabric bodies, said stitches lying in planes at an angle to the edge, each said stitch passing through both plies of the superimposed material, and certain regularly recurrent ones of said stitches less than the whole number thereof penetrating into and out of the stitched side of the base layer.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN G. LEWIS. In the presence of- W. LINN LLEN, MARY F. ALLEN. 

